There are often many debates about which person, tradition, or technique are the “right” ones when developing a personal ritual style.This is further complicated by the debate between “high” and “low” magick. First, let us remember that in a society in which the concept of a transcendent God is dominant, the term “high” usually signifies something better than “low” since God comes from on high and hell is down below us. Let us dismiss this prejudice and remember our maxim “As above, so below.” which reminds us that above and below or high and low are not qualitative terms denoting which is better. Rather, they are distinctions of something completely different. In this way, these terms can be devoid of those connotations. The difference, then, between high and low magick is not so much in quality as it is in formality. High magick involves more preparation, more activity, more tools, and, usually, a longer time of participation than does low magick but none of these alter ritual effectiveness in the general sense. That level of effectiveness is dependent on the individual in a greater degree than in technique. That being said, however, there are certainly those rituals which are more or less effective regardless of the procedure and it is my goal to explore what exactly are the things that can make any ritual more effective.

To begin, we must first look at what we mean by ritual. More specifically, we want to look at the concept of a sacred ritual. Simply put, any regularly repeated action is a ritual. For example, most people have a morning ritual. One might awake, take a shower, brush her teeth, comb her hair, get dressed, eat breakfast, and then leave for work. If this process is done at approximately the same time and in the same manner each morning, it is a ritual. But, it is not a sacred ritual. The difference lies in the meaning ascribed to the activities involved. A good example for comparison is the act of eating. If you are always on the go and eat whenever and wherever you can, then eating is not a ritual act for you. If, however, you tend to eat at least one meal a day at about the same time, at the same location and in a similar manner, you have an eating ritual. But, again, it is not a sacred ritual because you have attributed no meaning to the activity beyond satisfying a basic need. It may be a pleasant, calming, and comforting ritual to you but it is not sacred. The Catholic Eucharist or the Jewish Seder, however, are examples of meals which are sacred rituals. Each part of the meal has religious significance to the partaker. In the Eucharist, the bread and wine represent something specific and meaningful in relation to the spiritual practice. When consuming the meal, the eating of the bread and wine also take on a special spiritual significance. Any act can become a sacred ritual if that act is donned with special religious meaning. A candle can be used to provide light in a dark room or it can be used to signify spreading the light of our intent into a dark world. The act of lighting the candle remains the same but it is the intent behind lighting that candle that changes the significance. That is why we place so much emphasis on clear and meaningful intent when performing a ritual or any spiritually signinficant action. Having a clear intent means being able to focus the mind on a particular goal and outcome. Thus, when having a discussion about ritual tools, we must always remember the most important ritual tool of all - the mind.

I often compare this difference between high and low magick as similar to the difference between Classical and Folk musical performers. There are always arguments about which type of music and performer is better. For some, they feel they must choose between the two as if they had to choose sides in a football game. But for others, they can enjoy both forms of music and see them simply as different. Like a high ritual practitioner, Classical musicians must go through long periods of formal training. They perform with pre-planned music written out for them and they must follow these formulas precisely. This is not to say that variation and personal expression are not encouraged. All Classical musicans interpret and relate to the music differently but they still must follow what is prescribed in the score. These make possible prescribed patterns of effectiveness so that a particular composition (formula) is brought to life. The expression of that formula has an effect on the performer (and consequently, the audience). A Folk musician is less formally trained and learns primarily “by ear” or imitation. The music is also less formal and often includes instant improvisation rather then the strict adherence to written music. This does not make the music or its performance any less exciting. It is simply a different way of approaching music. This difference in formality is also what sets apart the practitioners of high and low magick.
To continue our analogy and to discover what the two types of magicians might have in common with musicians, we can determine what are the things that Classical and Folk musicians share with each other. FIrst of all, they must both know their instruments. They must know how to make them work effectively and how they can use the instrument for expression. The type of practice may differ but all musicians know that there must be consistent time spent with the instrument in order to maintain an ability to perform. Secondly, all musicians must know the basics of music and how it is organized. Music has certain sound structures that are the same regardless of the instrument or the style of playing. Thirdly, musicians must practice regularly. Without regular and consistent practice, it is difficult to maintain a certain level of proficiency. Finally, performers must know how to express themselves emotionally through the instrument in their performances.

Similarly, ritual practitioners of all levels of formality share some basic attributes. We must also know the instrument and learn to control and use it. As we have seen, the primary instrument for the ritual magician is the mind. We must learn to control and effectively use our minds in all rituals. For most of us and for most of our days, our minds can be unfocused and frenetic for long periods of time. Knowing the mind and how to use it for ritual means understanding how to relax and concentrate on our focus. Techniques such as meditation and the practice of mindfulness are powerful methods for getting to understand and take control of our minds. Studying and developing methods of reaching altered states of consciousness helps to thoroughly know our instrument. Our main goal should be to clearly define our intent for any ritual or any act, for that matter. Magnifying and directing this intent is the core of all ritual acts and the tool for directing that intent is the mind itself. When that is understood, all other tools become extensions of the mind and its purpose.
As practitioners, we must also know the basics of ritual theory. What is ritual? What is the purpose of engaging in ritual? What are effective ways of enacting ritual? As we have already discussed, we are not just interested in ritual, we want to know about sacred ritual and as practioners of magick, we want to know about magick ritual. Donald Tyson explains: “A religious ritual becomes magical when it succeeds in forming a bridge between the worshipper and the deity, regardless of the link [which] may be used to accomplish[that goal].” He further explains that the purpose of ritual is not to suddenly join the divine like two lovers that find each other at the beach. Instead, it brings you closer to experiencing the truth that you and the divine are not separate entities. By making this spiritual connection, we then are able to do the work of celebration, worship, betterment, or whatever the goal is that we have stated in our intent.

And that is the theory. But, what of the design? Most rituals have three main stages:the opening, the work, and the closing. It takes time for our minds to become focused and attuned. The opening procedures are meant to take us away from the mundane world and bring us into the magickal. Typical opening procedures include preparing the practitioner and the working space. The intent is then clearly defined and stated. A magickal circle is cast. This can include invoking quarters and deities. Those involved in the ritual begin the process of grounding and centering. The work of raising energy may also take place at this time although that may also be done as part of the central working time. Once the preparation has been completed, the actual ritual work takes place in order to intensify and realize that which was stated in the intent. The closing part of the ritual is then designed to return the practitioner back to the mundane world. This stage often includes undoing or releasing all that was done in the opening phase.
Just as musicians must practice their techniques so must the ritualist. In the early stages of learning, it is often helpful to learn and practice what others do but, eventually, each will develop his or her own style. This personal style cannot develop, however, without regularly practicing rituals allowing flexibility and spontaneity to play a role in the further development. Eventually, this consistent practice will help the practitioner personalize the work. Symbols and metaphor will take on special personal signinficance and, soon, the ritual will become an intense and meaningful expression of an inner spiritual connection. In effect, we learn to dance with the divine.

It is an intense and moving experience to both hear and see a professional musician expressing him or herself through an instrument. Some will say that the experience is spiritual because the musician connects to something deeper than that which exists in daily living and then expresses that understanding to others. We can observe how a musician uses an instrument to create that experience and then compare it to our methods of performing rituals. By coming to know the instrument we use in our performances (our minds) and by clearly focusing it through our intent, by knowing the basics of ritual design and procedure, by practicing this procedures regularly and allowing our own style to develop, and by learning to express ourselves, our intent, and our spiritual relationship through our actions in ritual we can create effective renditions in which we can play along with the gods regardless of the level of formality.